THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


LAWYER 
MiUS,  i£XAS 


^ 


SPENOEE'S  SYNTHETIC   PHILOSOPHY. 


(1.)  FIRST  PRIXCIPLES S2.00 

I.  The  Unknowable.  n.  Laws  of  the  Knowable. 

(2.)  THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  BIOLOGY.    Vol.  I §2.00 

I.  The  Data  of  Biology.  II.  The  Inductions  of  Biology. 

III.  The  Evolution  of  Life. 

(3.)  THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  BIOLOGY.     Vol.  II §2.00 

rv.  Morphological  Development.       V.  Physiological  Development. 
VI.  Laws  of  Multiplication. 
(4.)  THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  PSYCHOLOGY.     Vol.  I.  .        .        .  $2.00 
I.  The  Data  of  Psychology.  III.  General  Synthesis. 

II.  The  Inductions  of  Psychology.   IV.  Special  Synthesis. 
V.  Physical  Synthesis. 
(5.)  THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  PSYCHOLOGY.     Vol.  U.  ,        .  $2.00 

\T;.  Special  Analysis.  VIII.  Congruities. 

VII.  General  Analysis.  IX.  Corollaries. 

(6.)  THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  SOCIOLOGY.     Vol.  I.        .        .        .  $2.00 
I.  The  Data  of  Sociology.  11.  The  Inductions  of  Sociology. 

III.  The  Domestic  Relations. 
(7.)  THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  SOCIOLOGY.     Vol.  11.     .        .        .  $2.00 
IV.  Ceremonial  Institutions.  V.  Political  Institutions. 

VI.  Ecclesiastical  Institutions. 

(8.)  THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  SOCIOLOGY.     Vol.  lU.    .        .        . 
*        *        *         * 

(9.)  THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  ETHICS.     Vol.  I $2.00 

I.  The  Data  of  Ethics.  11.  The  Inductions  of  Ethics. 

III.  The  Ethics  of  Individual  Life. 

(10.)  THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  ETHICS.     Vol.  H $2.00 

IV.  The  Ethics  of  Social  Life  :  Justice. 
V.  The  Ethics  of  Social  Life  :  Negative  Beneficence. 
VI.  The  Ethics  of  Social  Life  :  Positive  Beneficence. 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO.,  Publishers,  New  York. 


A   SYSTEM   OF 
LUCID    SHORTHAND 


DEVISED    BY 

WILLIAM   GEORGE  SPENCER 

WITH    A    PREFATORY    NOTE    BY 

HERBERT    SPENCER 


J         3       9. 


NEW     YORK 
D.    APPLETON    AND    COMPANY 

1894 


A  u  tJiorized  Edit  ion . 


PREFATORY   XOTE, 

Everything  which  follows  this  prefatory  note  stands  as 
it  did  when  the  MS,  was  completed  at  the  end  of  1843  ; 
save  only  the  illustration  on  p.  13.  for  which  a  blank  had 
been  left,  and  the  illustrations  occupying  the  last  three 
pages,  28,  29,  and  30,  which  are  additional. 

That  fifty  years  should  have  elapsed  before  publication 

js  a  fact  calling  for  explanatioiL     My  late  father  had  the 

peculiarity  that  while  prompt  about  small  matters  he  was 

P  dilatory  about  great  ones :    several  tendencies  conspired  to 

**  produce   in  him   something   like   paralysis  of  will.     Being 

^  much  interested  in  his  system  of  shortliand,  and  perceiving 

ae   that  it  would  never  see  the  Iio;ht  if  no  external  stimulus 

^    were  used.  I  volunteered,  in  1843,  to  draw  uj)  an  exposition 

of  it.     As  will  be  seen,  I  ho}>ed  that  the  work  would  be 

^   issued  in  the  course  of  the  next  year ;  and,  in  the  date  of  the 

%n    preface,  left  a  blank  space  for  the  month.     But  I  was  far  too 

5    sanguine.    From  time  to  time  during  the  rest  of  my  father's 

life,  questions  about  mode  of  publication  were  raised,  but 

nothing    had    been    done   when   he    died   at   the    age    of 

u    seventy-six. 

P  For  many  years  after,  my  own  undertaking  so  fully 
»"  absorbed  my  limited  powers  f>f  work,  that  I  continually 
postponed  the  task  of  seeing  the  Lucid  Shorthand  through 
the  press  :  until,  my  life  having  become  precarious,  I 
resolved  against  further  delay.  Had  I  been  obliged  to 
superintend  personally  all  the  details — getting  the  numerous 

449449 


4i  PREFATORY   KOTE. 

small  woodcuts  nmde  and  seeing  them  properly  adjusted  to 
the  type — the  difficulties  would  probably  have  been  too 
much  for  me.  Fortunately,  however,  I  found  one  who  has 
taken  the  trouble  off  my  hands — Mr.  W.  H.  AVesley, 
Secretary  of  the  Royal  Astronomical  Society.  Besides 
making  the  drawings  on  wood,  having  them  engraved,  and 
bestowing  the  intelligent  care  required  for  fitting  the  illus- 
trations to  the  text,  he  has  superintended  the  printing  ; 
leaving  me  only  to  correct  the  revise  and  to  supply  the 
additions  above  named.      I  feel  greatly  indebted  to  him. 

Kespecting  the  system  itself,  let  me  first  say  that  its  origin 
before  1833  is  vividly  impressed  on  my  memory  by  the 
fact  that  in  1833,  when  a  boy  of  thirteen,  I  was  requested 
by  my  father  to  take  down  in  it  notes  of  my  uncle's 
sermons  (very  brief  ones  they  were  I)  ;  and,  though  some 
minor  alterations  were  subse(|uently  made,  it  had  at  that 
time  all  the  cardinal  traits  it  has  now. 

It  was  not  until,  at  two-and-twenty,  I  was  led  to  compare 
the  Lucid  Shorthand  with  Phonography,  that  I  became 
aware  of  its  great  value  ;  and  it  was  the  consciousness  of 
this  great  value  which  presently  prompted  me  to  write  the 
description  which  here  follows. 

At  three-and-twenty  judgment  is  not  very  ripe.  At  a 
later  age  I  should  probably  not  have  written  the  first  three 
pages  of  the  Introduction,  containing  general  remarks 
which  are  sufficiently  trite — not  so  trite,  however,  in  1843 
as  they  are  now.  But  though  superfluous,  I  have  thought 
it  best  to  leave  them  as  written,  so  that  I  may  be  able  to 
say  that  the  exposition  stands  exactly  as  it  did  when  it  left 
my  hands  :  nothing  omitted  (save  tAvo  lines  referring  to  the 
lost  illustration),  nothing  added,  save  the  terminal  pages 
named. 


PREFATORY   NOTE.  6 

And  now  let  mo  explain  why  I  am  anxious  that  the 
system  should  not  be  lost.  It  is  not  merely  as  a  better 
shorthand  that  preservation  of  it  is  important.  Existing 
shortliands  serve  very  well — especially  Phonography.  Save 
in  the  respect  that  it  keeps  the  line,  the  Lucid  Short- 
hand has  no  advantage  over  Phonography  for  reporting 
and  kindred  purj>oses.  Nor  is  it  that  I  am  prompted  merely 
by  filial  feeling  to  rescue  from  oblivion  a  work  on  which  my 
father  bestowed  so  much  time  and  labour.  The  action 
I  now  take  in  the  matter  results  from  the  conviction,  long 
since  formed  and  still  unshaken^  that  the  Lucid  Shorthand 
ought  to  replace  ordinary  writing.  Possessing,  as  it  does,  not 
equal  legibility  but  greater  legibility  (the  distinctions  among 
the  symbols  being  so  much  more  marked),  and  having  at 
the  same  time  the  brevity  which  shorthands  in  general 
possess,  the  use  of  it  for  all  purposes  would  be  immensely 
advantageous  to  mankind.  It  only  needs  to  ask  what  would 
be  the  eti'ect  of  saving*  more  than  half  the  time  now  devoted 
to  writing  by  men  of  business,  journalists,  authors,  and 
people  at  large,  to  see  that  adoption  of  it  wouM  achieve  a 
large  economy  of  life. 

Before  studying  the  exposition  in  detail,  the  reader 
should  turn  to  the  last  three  pages,  28,  29,  and  30;  the 
contents  of  which  will  enable  him  to  form  an  opinion  con- 
cerning the  claim  here  made. 

Herbert  Spencer. 

London,  October,  189o. 


PREFACE. 

The  system  of  Shorthand  now  laid  before  the  public  is  the 
result  of  long  and  patient  study.  It  is  upwards  of  twenty 
years  since  the  attention  of  the  author  was  first  directed  to 
the  subject.  About  1830  he  began  to  put  his  ideas  into 
something  like  form,  and  in  the  year  1833  the  distinguish- 
ing principles  and  peculiarities  of  the  system  as  it  now 
stands  were  developed.  Since  that  time  he  has  been  at 
intervals  engaged  in  making  numerous  investigations  and 
experiments  with  a  view  to  secure  the  greatest  possible 
number  of  advantages,  and,  believing  that  he  has  as  fully  as 
may  be  fulfilled  this  intention,  he  has  now  much  pleasure 
in  submitting  the  result  of  his  labours  to  the  public, 

Derby 1844. 


IXTRODUCTIOX. 

Written  language  may  be  defined  as  an  arrangement  of  visible 
signs  fixed  upon  as  the  representatives  of  certain  vocal  articula- 
tions, which  signs  are  by  practice  so  associated  with  the  sounds 
they  represent  that  the  one  cannot  be  placed  before  the  mind 
without  suggesting  the  other. 

To  give,  if  it  were  possible,  a  separate  arbitrary  symbol  to 
each  word  in  a  language  would  not  only  exhaust  the  resources  of 
the  inventor,  but  would  produce  a  system  of  so  complicated  a 
nature  that  none  but  extraordinary  memories  would  be  able  to 
make  use  of  it.  Attempts  have  therefore  been  made  to  analyze 
words,  and,  as  it  were,  to  decompose  them  into  their  primitive 
elements,  for  the  purpose  of  assigning  to  the  several  articulations 
of  which  they  are  composed,  characters  called  "letters,"'  such  as, 
when  arranged  in  a  proper  manner,  might  represent  the  various 
combinations  of  sound  of  which  language  is  composed. 

A  system  of  symbols  which  shall  efficiently  serve  this  purpose 
must  fulfil  certain  conditions.  Each  articulation  should  have  a 
single  sign.  That  sign  should  be  simple  ;  it  should  in  no  case  be 
used  to  express  another  articulation  ;  and  it  should  be  readily 
distinguishable  from  every  other  sign. 

That  the  systems  now  in  general  use  do  not  fulfil  these  con- 
ditions is  notorious.  Our  own  alphabet  is  full  of  the  imper- 
fections arising  from  their  neglect.  The  principle  that  each 
articulation  should  have  one  sign  is  wholly  disregarded  in  the 
arrangement  of  the  vowels,  where  a  single  sound,  as  that  of  au,  is 
signified  indiscriminately  by  the  several  symbols  a,  o,  mi,  on,  and 
aw,  as  in  call,  for,  manly  b:,ught,  paw.      Similarly  with  the  other 


10  LUCID    SHORTHAND. 

vowel  -  sounds,  not  one  of  wliich  has  fewer  than  two  characters 
by  which  it  may  be  expressed.  In  like  manner  the  letters  c  and 
s  are  frequently  used  to  indicate  the  same  articulation,  as  in  cite 
and  site;  and  in  other  cases  the  c  and  k  are  synonymous. 

Several  of  the  articulations  have  no  sign  whatever  given  to 
them  ;  as,  for  example,  the  th  (which  has  two  sounds,  one  heard  in 
thin  and  the  other  in  then),  the  sIl  and  the  zh.  Each  of  these  is 
an  elementary  sound,  and  has  as  good  a  claim  to  a  representative 
character  as  any  other,  whilst  at  present  it  is  denoted  by  a 
combination  of  letters  that  does  not  in  the  least  express  its 
quality. 

The  principle  of  simplicity  has  likewise  been  greatly  neglected. 
Our  old  alphabets  are  extremely  complicated,  and  the  characters 
even  of  our  modern  ones  are  far  more  elaborate  than  they  need 
be,  and  a  waste  of  time  in  their  formation  is  the  necessary 
consequence. 

Neither  is  the  law  of  the  exclusive  appropriation  of  one  sign 
to  one  sound  properly  respected.  The  i  is  made  to  take  the 
place  of  the  short  e;  the  e  stands  for  the  short  a;  the  u  for  the 
short  0,  and  the  o  for  the  oo.  Similarly,  s  is  often  used  in  place 
of  z,  ph  is  made  to  signify/,  and  so  on. 

Nor  is  there  that  complete  distinction  between  the  characters 
which  is  desirable.  In  the  writing  alphabet  especially  there  is 
so  great  a  similarity  between  many  of  the  letters  that  it  is  only 
by  the  general  aspect  that  words  written  in  them  are  capable  of 
being  identified. 

In  addition  to  these  evils,  arising  from  the  disregard  of  funda- 
mental principles,  there  are  yet  others  resulting  from  the 
introduction  of  unnecessary  characters  c,  g  soft,  J,  i,  q,  u,  x,  tu, 
and  y,  are  entirely  superfluous,  and  serve  no  other  purpose  than 
to  complicate  what  would  otherwise  be  simple. 

But  it  is  needless  to  enter  into  further  particulars.  The  whole 
system  is  so  full  of  absurdities  and  contradictions  that  page  after 
page  might  be  occupied  in  their  enumeration.  Here  we  have  an 
independent  letter  given   to   a   compound   sound,    and   there   a 


LlJCm    SHORTHAXD.  11 

simple  sound  Nvitli  no  letter  at  all;  now  a  single  sign  used 
alternately  for  several  articulations,  and  there  an  -  articulation 
that  is  common  to  three  or  four  signs — symbols  constructed 
without  any  respect  to  analogy,  and  arranged  in  utter  disregard 
of  order.  In  short,  the  system  does  not  do  what  it  pretends  to 
do.  It  purports  to  be  a  method  by  which  the  sounds  of  words 
may  be  expressed  in  signs,  whilst  out  of  the  yarious  combina- 
tions of  signs  by  which  words  are  represented  only  about  one  in 
twelve  is  pronounced  as  the  signs  imply,  and  the  rest  have  given 
to  them  certain  arbitrary  readings,  often  utterly  dissimilar  from 
what  might  have  been  anticipated.  The  mere  fact  that  there 
exists  such  a  thing  as  a  pronouncing  dictionary,  carries  with  it  a 
full  condemnation  of  our  system  of  written  language. 

The  imperfections,  discrepancies,  and  more  especially  the  com- 
plicated nature,  of  our  alphabet  and  principles  of  orthography, 
have  from  time  to  time  given  rise  to  other  modes  of  writing, 
which  have  had  for  their  chief  purpose  the  attainment  of  greater 
brevity.  None  of  these  shorthands,  as  they  are  commonly 
called,  have  presented  a  perfect  mode  of  expressing  articulate 
sounds.  The  sole  aim  has  been  to  reject  all  the  superfluities  of 
the  old  alphabets,  and  so  to  simplify  the  symbols  as  to  increase 
the  rapidity  with  which  they  may  be  written.  From  the  same 
motive  the  vowels  have  been  dispensed  with ;  so  that,  although 
brief  and  simple,  these  methods  are  in  some  respects  much  more 
imperfect  than  the  original  one. 

The  only  system  at  present  before  the  public  which  claims  to 
be  Qi,  perfect  as  well  as  a  quich  mode  of  expressing  vocal  language 
is  Mr.  Pitman's  Phonography.  That  this  is  a  decided  improve- 
ment upon  the  old  shorthands  cannot  be  denied.  It  is  to  all 
appearance  simpler  ;  it  is  far  more  analogical  in  its  construction  ; 
it  provides  for  the  insertion  of  vowels ;  and  those  vowels  are 
theoretically  such  as  to  express  every  sound  with  precision. 

Whilst  these  merits  are  conceded  to  it,  it  must,  however,  be 
observed  that  it  is  not  without  serious  imperfections.  Taking 
these  in  the  order  of  their  importance,  it  may  be  said  that — 


12  LUCID    SHORTHAND. 

1.  It  does  not  keep  to  the  line.  This  is  an  evil  common  to 
all  shorthands  hitherto  published — an  evil  productive  not  only 
of  inelegance,  but  o£  great  inconvenience,  and  one  which  must 
seriously  militate  against  the  general  adoption  of  any  method  of 
writing  which  does  not  avoid  it. 

2.  The  vowels  are  not  sufficiently  distinguishable.  The  sounds, 
e,  a,  ah,  are  indicated  by  dots,  and  au,  o,  oo,  by  small  dashes,  and 
it  is  hardly  to  be  expected  that  in  rapid  writing  these  marks  can 
be  made  with  such  accuracy  as  to  insure  their  identification. 
Moreover,  the  distinction  between  the  individual  vowels,  depen- 
dent as  it  is  upon  the  placing  of  the  dot  or  dash  at  the  beginning, 
middle,  or  end  of  the  consonant,  is  such  as  cannot  be  preserved 
with  certainty.  And  further,  the  greater  heaviness  of  touch  by 
which  the  long  vowels  are  known  from  the  short  ones,  can  never 
be  given  with  anything  like  precision  without  an  amount  of  care 
inconsistent  with  expedition. 

3.  The  legibility  of  the  system  is  greatly  injured  by  the 
apparent  transposition  of  letters,  resulting  from  the  peculiar 
arrangement  of  the  vowels.  A  dot  at  the  heginning  of  a  conso- 
nant is  as  likely  as  not  to  signify  a  vowel  after  it,  or  a  dot  at  the 
end  to  imply  a  vowel  before.  Nay,  there  are  cases  in  which  the 
positions  of  the  two  vowels  are  actually  reversed,  as  in  the  word 
hit  (any),  which  if  read  according  to  the  apparent  precedence  of 
the  vowels  would  be  rue. 

4.  The  alphabet  is  not  a  perfectly  analytical  one,  inasmuch  as 
it  gives  a  simple  character  to  each  of  the  articulations  ch  and  j, 
which  have  been  long  decided  to  be  compound — the  one  being  a 
combination  of  the  t-sh  and  the  other  of  the  d-zh.  That  the 
sound  commonly  expressed  by  ch  is  compounded  of  the  sounds 
t-sh  will  be  most  clearly  perceived  by  pronouncing  the  word 
sh-oo  (shoe),  and  then  sounding  a  t  before  it,  as  t-sh-oo,  which, 
it  will  be  found,  cannot  be  pronounced  otherwise  than  ch-oo,  or, 
as  it  is  usually  spelt,  chew.  A  similar  experiment  Avill  prove  that 
the  J  is  composed  of  the  d-zh. 

In  the  system  now  laid  before  the  public  it  is  believed  that 


LUCID    SHORTHAND.  13 

the  imperfections  and  inconveniences  above  specified,  as  well  as 
those  common  to  other  brief  methods  of  writing,  have  been 
avoided,  whilst  at  the  same  time  the  various  desiderata  have 
been  attained.     Its  advantages  may  be  specified  as  follows  : — 

1.  Brevity.  It  may  be  written  either  with  or  without  vowels. 
Without  vowels  it  is  shorter  than  any  of  the  common  kinds  of 
Stenography.  With  vowels  it  is  shorter  than  Phonography,  the 
only  other  system  in  which  they  are  introduced.  A  comparison 
of  the  annexed  examples,  the  one  being  a  sentence  in  Phono- 
graphy and  the  other  the  same  sentence  in  Lucid  Shorthand,  will 
demonstrate  this.^ 

c-3  Q q  m^ 

Phonography    is       longer         than       Lucid        Shorthand. 

The  dotted  lines  in  the  illustration  indicate  the  unregistered 
movements  of  the  pencil.  Phonography  looks  simple  in  conse- 
quence of  these  movements  having  no  representations  upon 
paper,  whilst  in  reality  they  require  an  equal  amount  of  time 
with  those  that  leave  visible  signs  behind  them.  Nay,  more.  To 
lift  the  point  of  a  pencil  from  the  paper  and  carry  it  over  the 
surface  to  make  a  dot  at  some  other  place,  involves  a  more  com- 
plicated muscular  action  than  its  transference  to  the  same  point 
aloiKj  the  surface,  and  probably  more  time  is  expended  in  the 
motion.  The  dotted  lines  are  curved,  because  the  movements 
they  represent  are  so. 

2,  Regularity.  The  arrangement  of  the  oblique  characters 
allows  every  letter  to  be  written  in  almost  all  cases  either  up  or 

1  Should  phoii()orai>hers  object  to  the  use  of  the  unabriilge^l  form  of 
Phonography,  the  reply  is  that  a  fair  comparison  cannot  otherwise  he 
made.  It  would  clearly  he  unfair  to  compare  the  abridged  foini  of 
Phonography  with  the  una))ridged  form  of  Lucid  Shorthand. 


14  LUCID    SHORTHAl^D. 

down,  and  a  facility  of  keeping  the  liue  is  <here1)y  attained  that 
renders  the  system  at  once  convenient  and  elegant. 

3.  Legibility.  A  perfect  distinction  between  the  forms  of  the 
several  characters,  the  insertion  of  easily  identified  vowels  in 
their  natural  places,  and  the  appropriation  of  one  nnchangeable 
sonnd  to  each  sign,  insure  an  ease  in  deciphering  not  only  far 
greater  than  is  afforded  by  any  other  species  of  shorthand,  but 
even  superior  (in  consequence  of  the  greater  contrast  in  the 
shapes  of  the  letters)  to  that  attained  in  commoii  writing. 

Remembering,  therefore,  that  the  irregularity,  inelegance,  and 
illegibility,  wdiich  usually  act  as  barriers  to  the  extended  use  of 
Stenography,  are  in  the  present  case  obviated  ;  seeing  that  the 
numerous  imperfections  of  the  common  mode  of  writing  are 
avoided,  and  that  these  improvements  in  efficiency  and  appear- 
ance are  secured  without  any  sacrifice  of  brevity  ;  the  author  is 
sanguine  in  his  anticipations  that  the  system  may  in  time  be 
used,  not  only  as  a  shorthand  for  making  notes  and  reporting, 
but  also  for  more  general  purposes. 


THE   ALPHABET. 

Of  the  primitive  articulations  into  which  language  mav  be 
resolved,  the  simplest  is  the  aspirate.  It  consists  of  nothing 
more  than  a  forcible  expiration,  requiring  no  aid  from  the  organs 
of  speech  for  its  formation.  It  is  placed  first  in  virtue  of  its 
elementary  nature. 

Sound.  Sign.  Exani])Ie. 

h  C  he 

Next  in  the  ordei-  of  simplicity  come  the  vowels.  Though  in 
reality  indefinite  and  capable  of  great  modifications,  these  are 
separable  into  six  readily  distinguishable  articulations,  by  the 
aid  of  which  all  the  sounds  of  our  own  tongue  may  be  expressed 
with  tolerable  accuracy.  Arranged  in  their  natural  order  they 
stand  thus  : — 


lccid  shorthand.  15 

Vowels. 


Long. 

Short. 

Sound. 

Sign. 

E 

xample. 

Sound. 

Sign. 

Example. 

e 

1 

eat 

1 

i 

• 

it 

a 

r^ 

ale 

2 

e 

r\ 

ell 

ah 

_ 

art 

3 

a 

~ 

at 

au 

^-^ 

awu 

4 

6 

^ 

on 

6 

o 

ope 

5 

u 

o 

7/p 

00 

O 

fool 

6 

66 

O 

Ml 

The  first  colnmn  contains  the  letters  at  present  employed  to 
express  the  several  sounds ;  the  second  gives  the  new  symbols ; 
and  the  third  quotes  examples  of  the  occurrence  of  the  sound. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  long  and  short  vowels  are  dis- 
tinguished from  each  other  by  their  positions,  the  one  class 
being  placed  zqKoi  the  line  and  the  other  above  the  line.  This  is 
an  arrangement  that  may  be  invariably  observed  with  words  of 
one  syllable,  and  also  with  the  first  divisions  of  longer  words,  but 
cannot  always  be  obeyed  in  their  remaining  syllables.  Should 
the  distinction  obtained  by  the  use  of  the  heavy  and  light 
strokes  be  found  applicable  to  the  vowels  ^  as  well  as  to  the 
consonants,  this  diflBculty  may  be  obviated  by  making  the  long 
vowels  thick  and  the  short  ones  thin.  The  imperfection  is, 
however,  wholly  theoretical :  no  inconvenience  being  experienced 
in  practice. 

Simple  vowels  are  capable  of  being  combined  with  each  other 
as  well  as  with  consonants,  and  thence  are  formed  double  and 
triple  vowels.  The  following  table  contains  all  the  binary  com- 
binations :  the  signs  representing  the  compound  sounds  being 
formed  by  the  union  of  the  signs  of  the  simple  ones. 

^  In  Phonograpliy  the  onli/  distinction  between  the  long  and  short 
vowels  consists  in  the  different  thickness  of  the  dots  and  dashes  by 
which  they  are  represented. 


16 


LUCID    SHORTHAND. 


Double  Vowels. 


e 

1 

a 

all 

au 

o 

o 

00 

O 

e   1 

AV 

r^ 

L  r 

HU 

bp 

DP 

a  r\ 

Oh 

/-^ 

rs^ 

r. 

-O 

Bh- 

J"i 

_/-^ 

-w 

- 

"O 

auw 

JM 

v.^^ 

^^ 

VP 

^O 

5  o 

q  d 

6^ 

Q_ 

<iy 

oO 

ooO 

qd 

O^ 

a 

cv 

Oo 

Of  these,  however,  only  such  as  are  given  in  the  accompanying 
list  occur  in  the  English  language  : — 


Long. 

Short. 

Sound. 

Sign. 

Example. 

Sound. 

Sign. 

Exampl 

ye 

V 

yield 

1 

r 

r 

ya 

Vs 

yea 

2 

ye 

yet 

yah 

L 

yarn 

3 

ya 

yam 

yau 

u 

yawn 

4 

y6 

P 

yon 

JO 

b 

yoke 

5 

yfl 

young 

yoo 

b 

you 

6 

ae 

n 

aerial 

7 

ao 

m 

kaolin 

8 

I 

n 

mine 

9 

ou 

■D 

our 

10 

oi 

J 

oil 

11 

oe 

d 

owing 

12 

0 

cr 

Oo 

oo 

we 
wa 

Q 

week 
wain 

13 

14 

wi 
we 

wick 
wen 

'wah 
wau 

O" 

qualm 
wall 

15 
16 

wa 
wo 

wax 

was 

w5 
woo 

oo 

wold 

woo 

17 

18 

wii 
woo 

one 
would 

LUCID    SHORTHAND.  17 

Of  triple  vowels  there  exist  only  two  in  our  language.     They 
are : — 

Sound.    Sign.    Example.  Sound.     Sign.    Example. 

wi        Q*         wild  and  wow        qP       wound 

COXSONAXTS. 

There  are  eighteen  simple  consonants,  which  may  be  classified 
into  six  mutes,  eight  semivocals,  two  liquids,  and  two  nasals. 

Nature  of    Roman     Shorthand 


id. 

rvomaii 
Letter. 

kiuorLiuiiui 
Sign. 

Example. 

f       P 

J^ 

j/eat 

B 

J^^ 

?^eat 

1 

T 

fale 

i 

D 

__ 

r/ale 

K 

/^ 

cold 

G 

^-> 

^old 

'      F 

1 

file 

V 

1 

rile 

TH 

c 

thin 

I 

TH 

( 

then 

>      ■< 

S 

r^ 

.<;eal 

^ 

z 

r^ 

real 

SH 

) 

meshes 

ZH 

) 

niea  inures 

4 

i      ^ 

/  \ 

lead 

5*    " 
•"5 

/  \ 

read 

1 

N 

K^ 

?iine 

^ 

M 

v-/ 

?«ine 

In  the  above  list  ^  four  of  the  sounds  usually  represented  by 


^  The  order  of  tlie  letters  here  followed  appears  to  have  been  Hrst  use«l 
by  Mr.  Pitman,  and  is  adopted  as  being  the  most  philosophical  mode  of 


arianjiement. 


18  LUCID    SHORTHAND. 

componnd  letters  have  independent  signs,  and  several  of  the 
letters  contained  in  the  ordinary  system  have  apparently  no 
characters  assigned  to  them. 

It  will  be  found,  however,  that  the  new  sounds  have,  from 
their  undecomposable  nature,  as  good  a  claim  to  independent 
signs  as  any  of  the  rest ;  and  of  the  letters  rejected,  c,  iv,  and  y 
are  superfluous  because  they  are  already  represented  by  k  or  s, 
do,  and  e,  while  j\  q,  and  x  are  not  admissible  in  consequence  of 
their  compound  natures,  for  they  are  respectively  separable  into 
d-zh,  Jc-oo,  and  Ic-s. 

The  vertical  and  inclined  consonants  are  written  either  up  or 
down,  as  convenience  dictates.  The  horizontal  ones  are  of  course 
written  forward  only. 


MODE   OF    SPELLmG. 

After  what  has  already  been  said  in  the  Introduction  respect- 
ing the  orthographical  imperfections  of  the  common  method  of 
writing,  it  is  almost  needless  to  observe  that  one  of  the  principles 
of  the  present  system,  in  common  with  other  shortha^ids,  is  to 
write  by  sound.  The  articulations  of  each  word  will,  therefore, 
be  noticed,  and  the  characters  attached  to  them  written,  without 
any  reference  to  the  artificial  manner  in  which  the  word  is 
commonly  spelt.  Thus,  through  must  be  written  th-r-ob ;  i:)hysic, 
f-i-z-Y-k ;  houghtfh-aU't ;  written,  r-K-t-7i ;  eight,  a-t ;  known,  n-o-n, 
and  so  forth.     Double  consonants,  except  in  a  few  cases,  such  as 

are  inadmissible  because  superfluous ;  thus,  fill  will  be  written 
f-i-l;  mutton,  m-U-t-n;  funnel,  f-U-n-'i^ -I,  etc.  To  give  examples  of 
the  natural  orthography  of  every  species  of  word,  would  take  more 
space  than  can  be  spared,  and  the  discovery  of  the  manner  of 
spelling  them  must  consequently  be  left  to  the  student.  There 
are,  however,   very  few  cases  in  which  he  will  experience  any 


LUCID    SHORTHAND.  19 

hesitation,  and  after  a  little  practice  in  separating  words  into 
their  primitive  elements,  he  will  write  them  correctly  without 
thought. 


OX   PLACING   THE   VOWELS. 

The  long  vowels,  as  has  been  previously  explained,  are  placed 
upon  the  line  and  the  short  ones  above  the  line.     The  word  let 

will  therefore  be  written  /  and  late  A —  ;    not  is  written 

and  nought  ^^_^.^^-^ .  In  words  of  more  than  one  syllable 
it  is  frequently  impossible  to  follow  this  regulation  with  every 
vowel,  and  the  rule  is  therefore  to  obey  the  law  in  the  iirst 
syllable,   and  let  the  others  fall  as  they  may.     Thus  syllable  is 

written  /^\/\,  others  CVv.  ?  cilreachj  .  /\_        and  so  on. 

The  vowel   (  i  )   is  in  some  instances  written  as  a  separate 
stroke,  as  in  the  words — 

teat,      did,        kin,       keen,    mickle,    meek, 

but  in  the  great  majority  of  cases  it  is  formed  by  returning  on 
the  consonant,  as  in — 
beat,     kid,    geese,     fill,    these,  niece,    seed,    shijD,     reel,  miss. 

\-''^ ^^  K  r  ^-j    c-   )^v^^ 

The  vowel  (  -^  )  is  generally  written  forwards,  as  in — 
sale,      bed,     days,     chase,     fail,       shell,    care,       melt,    sense, 

but  it  may  in  some  cases  be  advnntngeously  made  backwards,  as 
in  the  words  : — 

neck,     fame,    mace,    ache,    shame,  wreck,    lane. 

The    vowel  (  -  )  is    commonly  written   forwards,  as    in  the 
following  cases  :  — 


20  LUCID   SHORTHAND. 

far,       last>     part,      path,    sharp,     shall,     car,      lamb, 

but  there  are  some  cases  in  which  it  is  to  be  made  bj  returning" 
upon  the  horizontal  consonants,  as  in — 

sash,    balm,    mad,    darn,        task,    salve,    map,     that, 


n   JU 


V 


The  vowel  (  ^^  )  is  usually  written  forwards,  as  in — - 
balk,       cot,    fawn,      pot,      gall,      rob,       sawn,      top, 

but  like  the  others  it  may  in   many  instances  be  conveniently 
made  backwards,  as  in  the  annexed  cases  : — 

pawn,  gone,    maul,   knock,  lawn,    bog,     dawn,      cost. 

-^     ^^    ^    v^     ^    J->    .^^^ 

The  vowel  (  o)  is  written  before,  after,  above,  or  below  the 
accompanying  consonant,  as  circumstances  require.  Its  various 
positions  may  be  seen  in  the  annexed  illustrations  : — 

toll,       gun,     poke,    done,     bone,     call,     foam,      ruo-. 

-/   ^^  >^  -^     o^      ^       cU      /^ 
The  vowel  (  O  )  follows  the  same  regulations  as  the  (  o  )  with 
regard  to  position.      The  following  are  instances  of  its  occur- 
rence : — 

fool,      full,     pool,      pull,     tomb,     soot,      moon,    shoot. 


^   \   -^   X 


o^^- 


COMPOUND   VOWELS. 

In  the  annexed  list  will  be  found  examples  of  tlio  use  of  the 
double  and  treble  vowels,  showing  the  modes  of  their  formation 
under  various  circumstances.  They  are  arranged  in  the  order  of 
the  list  at  pages  16  and  17. 


lucid  shorthand.  21 

Double  Vowels. 
ye,  year  |!  yea,   yet  |i  yarn,  yahoo,  yam  ||  yawl,  yawn,  yonder, 

yacht  II  yoke,    young  ||  you,       use,      feud,      mule  ||  aerial,  Maia  1| 

'^      ^.     ^-^      b  ^      4-     ^^     ^     s_^ 

kaolm,  heighol  jj  mine,    file,     time,      sire  ||  our,      town  || 


^~^r6  0?) 

oil,      loin   II  owing,  Joey  ||  week,    wick,   ween,      win 


wail,     well,    wain,     wen  ||  waggon,  wax  ||  wall,     walk,    was 


Ox., 


wold,      woke,     one    !|    woo,    would  || 

o<~"  oO-    "^^      CO      8- 

Treble  Yowels. 
wild,     wife,      wine 'I    wound  || 

Of  the  above  combinations  only  those  containing  the  ij,  i,  and 
lu  occur  with  any  considerable  f requeue}'. 


ON   JOINING   THE   CONSONANTS. 

The  vertical  and  inclined  consonants  being  written  either  up 
or  down,  according  to  circumstances,  there  continually  occur  cases 
in  which  the  writer  has  to  determine  their  direction.  He  will 
do  this  by  observing  which  course  he  must  follow  to  keep  the 
line,  and  adopting  it  accordingly.     Thus  fidjil  would  be  written 


22 


LUCID    SHORTHAND. 


j\|\    and   not      '   ]/ >    thereujyon    would    be    Cy^^_^  and   not 

The  direction  given  to  the  p  or  h  must  be  determined  by  the 
combination  in  which  it  occurs.    Where  it  precedes  a  long  vowel 

it  is  usually  thus  "^  as  in  "^^  (pair)  or    '^       (oold)  ;    and 

where  it  precedes  a  short  one  thus    ^   as  in   ^J~^  (butter)  or 

_J  (pet).  In  some  few  cases,  however,  deviations  from  this 
rule  may  be  advantageously  made.  Where  jj  or  h  occurs  as  a 
terminal  letter  it  is  commonly  written  forwards,  as  in  ^^/^ 
(slip)  or  Vt-^'  (babe),  but  there  are  cases  where  both  ap- 
pearance and  convenience  require  it  to  be  written  backwards,  as  in 
^  (dip)  or  Zf  (tub). 

These  rules  for  determining  the  position  of  the  j^  ^^^^  ^  are 
likewise  applicable  to  the  5  and  z  and  the  I  and  r. 

There  are  a  few  combinations  of  consonants  which,  although 
they  occur  very  rarely,  may  cause  considerable  embarrassment 
to  the  beginner  should  he  chance  to  meet  with  them.  To  pre- 
vent perplexity  it  will,  therefore,  be  well  to  exemplify  the  mode 
in  which  these  obstacles  are  overcome.  All  cases  presenting  any 
difficulty  are  contained  in  the  annexed  li?t :  — 

fief,  thief,  sheaf,  sheathed    |    fifty,  fish,  shift   ||  faithful, 

f  (\  }   L    i.  !)  i_  r 

shave  I  Bethlehem,  feather,  theft  ||  father  | 

)l    Jl/^  (U  CI-  t\ 

bashful,^  tadpole,  fashion,    chapman,    shaft  ||  shove,  shuffie  || 

^  The  words  bashful,  reproachful,  icishful,  together  with  sheath,  shove, 
shuffle,  and  their  compounds,  are  the  only  words  in  the  language  that  will 
not  keep  the  line. 


LUCID    SHORTHAND. 


23 


ABBREVIATIONS. 

Although  not  intended  merely  as  another  species  of  Shorthand, 
it  will  nevertheless  be  found  that  in  respect  to  brevity  the 
present  system  is  fully  as  much  suited  for  reporting  as  any  of 
those  commonly  used  for  that  purpose,  whilst  in  legibility  it  is 
greatly  superior  to  them.  To  render  it  yet  more  perfectly 
adapted  for  tlie  use  of  the  reporter,  the  following  lists  of  Prefixes, 
Affixes,  and  Arbitraries  have  been  compiled. 


Prefixes. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  characters  by  wbicli  the  annexed 
prefixes  are  denoted  represent  the  vowel  sounds  of  the  syllables 
indicated,  and  that  where  the  prefix  includes  two  syllables  its 
character  is  formed  by  the  combination  of  the  two  vowels.  Each 
of  these  signs  when  used,  is  to  be  placed  immediately  preceding 
the  first  letter  of  the  remaining  part  of  the  word  to  which  it  is 
attached,  as  shown  in  the  examples  : 


*  com  V  compose  c 

*  con  ^  converse  y\ 
t  dis  I  displace  i^^'XY^ 
discom  I,  discomfort  o*K^- 
discon  ^  disconcert 
t  for  ^  forfeit 
im  X  impure 
in  •  invalid 
indis  A  indispose 
inter  p  interfere 
disin  V   disinherit 


u/2_ 

.A 

Tv- 
^^ 

The   prefixes  marked  *  are 
those  marked  t  on  the  line. 


incom  K  incomplete 

incon  k  inconvenient     L_9<_. — 

*  mis  1    mislead 
t  par  _  partial 

*  per  o  perverse 
t  pro  o  provoke 

*  trans  _  transport 
unin  P   uninjured 
undis  d   undisputed 
str  S   strive 
ex  r>  explain 

to  be  placed  above  the   line  and 


24  LUCID    SHORTHAND. 

The  several  prefixes  ]?re,  fore — under,  suh — orer,  sur,  suiter  are 
denoted  by  placing  a  dot  before,  above,  or  beneath  the  words, 
according  to  the  meaning  of  the  prefix,  as  in — 

prepare,   foreknowledge,    undertake,  subscribe,    overflow, 

surmount,    superfluous. 


Affixes. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  afiixes  ;  one  in  which  the  terminal 
syllable  is  represented  by  its  prominent  letter  joined  to  the  rest 
of  the  word,  but  written  backwards,  and  the  other  in  which  a 
separate  character,  formed  on  the  same  principle  as  those  for 
the  prefixes,  is  placed  adjacent.  The  first  class  contains  the 
following  : — 


ation  r\  information      Ix*"""^ 
ant      _  flagrant  rVv">/ 

ent    \_y  present  VvS' 

ment>^^  punishment     ^JxD 


ted     affected  ^-v<:^^ 

ded    —  landed  ^ 
ition    /■    abolition        o 

ity       \    morality  \*>^ 


The    terminations    ing,  ings,    inging,   inglij,   are   indicated   by 
marks  placed  upon  the  last  consonant,  as  in  : — 

sing,   sings,      singing,    singly,     knowing,     beings,    bringing, 

r    f''     r     r     ^     ^     ~v 

pleasingly. 


LUCID    SHOETHAND. 

The  affixes  of  the  second  order  are  enumerated  below  :  — 


25 


t  aV,.le 

^ 

desirable 

-v_ 

ableness 

— v-/ 

reasonableness 

s^^-^ 

ably 

J 

profitably 

^/X-^ 

*  ance 

— 

appearance 

^- 

ancy 

n 

occupancy 

e?n 

bility 

N 

capability 

.^r.^" 

ence 

,-> 

afHuence 

1/- 

ency 

n 

ascendency 

c£^— n 

ful 

o 

shameful 

c^o 

fully 

q 

carefully 

.-vV^ 

ible 

/ 

forcible 

A-.' 

ibleness 

yN-/ 

audibleness 

^ /w 

ibly 

A 

possibly 

XV.A 

ical 

L 

periodical 

-y^ — i- 

ness 

\j 

weakness 

<> — Sv_ 

ousness 

QJ 

seriousness 

ously 

d 

furiously 

tive 

\ 

lucrative 

V^- 

*  tor 

o 

solicitor 

/^° 

t  tory 

o 

manufactory 

"^"i^. 

ture 

"J 

literature 

tion,  sion 

D 

devotion 

Those  affixes  marked  *  are  to  be  placed   above  tlie  line  and 
th'^se  marked  t  on  the  line. 


26 


LUCID    SHORTHAND. 


ALPHABETICAL   LIST    OF   ARBITRARIES. 


after 

1 

general 

^ 

nevertheless 

^ 

-TN 

/^ 

vi7 

again 

give 

not 

against 

^^ 

giving 

^-N. 

notwith- 

already 

/ 

given 

o 

standing 

V  J 

altogether 

c/' 

great 

/-\ 

nothing 

^ — ' 

amongst 

^L/ 

greater 

^-N. 

now 

\^ 

and 

has 

C_ 

object 

^ 

any 

f~\ 

have 

C 

of 

be 

J 

he 

1 

ourselves 

Y 

been 

~\ 

beard 

^ 

other 

C 

become 

y^ 

how 

c 

people 

~^ 

before 

J 

in 

1 

probable 

y 

besides 

> 

into 

p 

probably 

/ 

brought 

y 

is 

V 
• 

public 

J 

can 

r-\ 

it 

question 

circum- 

its 

really 

/ 

stance 

itself 

,^ 

reason 

\ 

chair 
church 

judge 
judged 

-^ 

3 

remark 
religion 

churchman 
come 

judgment 
justice 

-0 

said 
seem 

c 

could 

r~^ 

let 

\ 

seen 

c 

did 



little 

/ 

shall 

3 

done 

many 

^•^ 

society 

/"• 

either 

i 

might 

^^ 

some 

r 

event 

1 

more 

v_/ 

something 

r' 

ever 

1 

moreover 

speak 

^ 

every 

r 

must 

^ 

spoken 

r^^ 

first 

r 

myself 

such 

r' 

from 

1 

never 

^ 

subject 

O 

LUCID    SHORTHAND. 

that 

together 

o 

when 

0 

than 

c 

towards 

D 

what 

cv 

the 

* 

under 

e^ 

will 

/ 

them 

C 

upon 

o 

which 

0 

themselves 

c 

usual 

) 

with 

q 

then 

c 

very 

1 

without 

q 

therefore 

c. 

was 

Q^ 

whilst 

en 

think 

c 

well 

O^ 

yourself 

/ 

through 

c 

were 

C^ 

zealous 

r 

to 

whether    '• 

,       ^ 

zeal 

^ 

COMPOUXD   ARBITRARIES. 


and  at 

> 

is  he 

V 

could  have      ^^ 

and  it 

-J 

with  the 

CV 

might  have     ^^ 

and  it  is 

—A 

wherever 

n 

shall  have 

b 

and  is  it 

-^ 

whatever 

!? 

will  have 

A- 

and  the 

n 

however 

n 

shall  be 

y 

it  is 

A 

will  be 

z> 

is  it 

V 

could  be 

o 

might  be 

^ 

might  have  been 

^ 

has  been 

^ 

should  ha 

,ve  been 

TS 

have  been 

S 

would  have  been 

*^ 

shall  have  been 

s 

can  be 

^ 

will  have  been 

/S 

can  have 

r-< 

could  have  been 

^ 

can  have  been 

'~^ 

449449 


28  LUCID    SHORTHAND. 


^   00 


C     d 


C5     r-. 


^  i^ 


^^  y    ,s  ^^ 

s 

'  \         ■^  Cj  ^ 

5 

■  -.   :  >  r  ■  <   : 

X 

•  .    :    ,  '  -^    1  - 

'^ 

\          .      ^    "^            ■     \        ^       (^' 

^  r     ■     ^  -  -1     ^  -    ^ 

<:; 

i;\  v>T,^^ 

> 

X  ^  I  n  ).  ^  - 

0 

f  J    ^  -  ^  ■•  ■  ■. 

p 

1 

^^^H                   A  photoprint  of  tlie  earliest  extant  letter  from  H,  S.  to  W.  G.  S., 
^^^^                                           dated  (and  postmarked)  1  January,  1S43. 

1 

-^  -V   £\ 

^    ^-    ^  P    ^^   ,V\^  '      -" '  /-  /^  ^ 

1 

' 

-  e/^^  7  -  -;,.-^^  .  ^  ._  V---  ..-^  ...    y-.>^v.      1 

1 

a 

b 

^ ,» 

9  -^ 

l. 

ll 

1  2 

S    ""^ 

'cc   ^ 

2^ 
^1- 

^   c 

li 

CO    O 
GO     ^ 

2  ^ 

T^  ,22 

e  ""^ 

^-"^"^ 

a;    d 

- 

^5 

'^l 

Is 

1 

,— .  '^ 

S    o 

o 

y    o 

O      f-i 

"1 

\ 

M  J 

r^       O 

.2 

^ 

i-H     3 

c3   -^ 

be 

' 

-1 

ij 

1 

\ 

S  g 

11 

c3 

> 

^ij 

i 

tfc-  ^ 

-2  % 

rt 

=-  "u 

w  S 

p 

;      J 

§  1 

1     ^ 

^1 

> 

1^ 

1^ 

a  "o 

fl    o 

O  '- 

^ 

■t5   ^ 

c3 

•^ 

£ 

n 


\ 


\ 

4- 

^^ 

n1 

\ 

\ 

. 

<-^ 

1 

)N 

)          . 

J 

r 


Earliest  extant  letter  from  W.  G.  S.  to  H.  S.,  dated  February  7,  1843.  The  signa- 
ture "Thomas  Spencer"  shows  that  the  substance  of  the  letter  is  not  my  father's, 
but  only  the  writing.  Staying  at  Hiuton,  as  he  evidently  was,  he  must  have  written 
the  letter  to  his  brother's  dictation.  Unlike  the  preceding  one,  it  bears  no  post- 
mark.    Envelopes  were  at  that  time  coming  into  general  use. 


f/  I   y-/ .  ^  ^-  / 


A  y--  "-' 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


|fi>m   fiECt 


REC'D  URL-LI  I 


JUN2819G7 


FormL9 — 15m-10,'48  (B1039)444 


UNiVfi:KSi  rv  ot  caufornj.^ 

AT 

LOS  ANGELES 

UBRARY 


000  571  337     5 


t 


PLEA<^r  DO   NOT    REMOVE 
THIS    BOOK  CARD 


17 


^ 


University  Research  Library 


N 


J  I. 


